Tuesday, October 17, 2006

Sesame tempeh sandwich, with soup

I was very eager to get this recipe going. The Sesame Tempeh sandwich from Urban Herbivore is so incredibly tasty, and I knew it would be difficult to duplicate.

(I borrowed the boy's camera for the photos!)

I started by researching some tempeh marinades, and blending it with the Tempeh Bacon recipe from Vegan With a Vengeance. Here is some minced ginger, the package of tempeh, and some sprouts.

The marinade consisted of*:

about 3 tablespoons of soy sauce

a couple of dashes of liquid smoke

about 1 inch of ginger, peeled and minced

1/4 cup of apple cider

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

2 teaspoons of sesame oil

1/3 small can of tomato paste

*all approximate. I didn't actually measure anything.

The tempeh was steamed for about 10 minutes. I've never really cooked with tempeh, but apparently people tell ya to steam it first. Anyway, afterwards I sliced it into 1/4 inch slices, and then sliced along the width so the strips weren't too long.

The tempeh marinated for about 1/2 an hour and I have a bunch left over and marinating for another meal. Maybe for lunch tomorrow...

The tempeh didn't get too crispy in the frying pan (fried with some more sesame oil) - kinda went straight from uncooked to seared in a short amount of time, even though I cooked it on medium-low for a bit before turning the heat up. The smell was wonderful as it filled the apartment!

While the tempeh was marinating, I roasted a butternut squash and made a soup to have with our sandwiches. Sandwich accompaniments were roasted yellow pepper and cremini mushrooms, wasabi lime dijon (!!), radish and alfalfa sprouts, and a big dollop of vegenaise.

While it doesn't have the same flavour or drier texture as the Urban Herbivore tempeh, I really liked the sandwich. It was very comforting and flavourful. If anyone else decides to try it, I suggest marinating the tempeh for longer and cooking it a bit longer on lower heat. I can't wait to hear if anyone does try it, and how all the other sandwiches turn out!